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Chen Chia-hsun desertion case

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The Chen Chia-hsun case, also known as the Erdan Island desertion incident,[1] was a disappearance incident involving Republic of China Army Private First Class Chen Chia-hsun on Erdan Island in Kinmen County.[2] On 9 March 2023, Chen, who was assigned to the Erdan Garrison of the Erdan Defense Company under the Lieyu Garrison Battalion [zh] of the Kinmen Defense Command, went missing.[3] It was later learned that he had been rescued by the China Coast Guard and taken to Xiamen, where he was accommodated by Chinese authorities.[4]On 17 March, the Kinmen branch of the Fujian District Prosecutors Office issued a wanted notice for Chen.[5]

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Background

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Erdan Island

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Erdan Island, viewed from Dadan Island; the island is garrisoned by dozens of troops.

Erdan Island[6][7] is administered by Lieyu Township, Kinmen County, Fujian Province of the Republic of China (Taiwan).[8][9] It is one of the offshore islands under the control of the Republic of China and lies southwest of Lieyu Island. Together with nearby Dadan Island, located about 800 meters away, it has been described as “the frontline of the frontline” and “an offshore island among offshore islands.” The island is located approximately seven nautical miles from Xiamen and hosts a company-level military garrison.

Swimming Across the Strait and Subsequent Handling

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A major ebb tide began around Erdan Island at 07:28 on 9 March 2023. The direction of the outgoing tide happened to lead from Dadan Island toward Xiamen. According to estimates, anyone reaching the beach area between Erdan and Dadan islands could be carried toward Xiamen by the tide without even having to swim.[10]

Military camps in the Kinmen area maintain strict controls over floating objects.[11]

The previous case of a serviceman stationed on an offshore island swimming to the mainland occurred in 1996, 27 years earlier. During that period, there had been more than twenty incidents in which people from mainland China reached offshore islands by swimming or drifting. In the past, vessels operated by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movementwere used to return such individuals. In recent years, the Coast Guard Administration has transported them to the median line, where they were received by authorities on the other side.[12]

Chen Chia-hsun

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Chen Chia-hsun held a Class B cook certification issued by the Ministry of Labor（Taiwan）.[13] He served as a food service specialist (mess hall soldier) in the military.[14]He was a volunteer serviceman and had been scheduled to leave the military in 2024.[13] Before his disappearance, he reportedly told fellow soldiers that he had dreamed that he was in Xiamen that day.[10]

According to Chen's father, Chen had personal debts of more than NT$300,000 incurred outside the military and had been making monthly repayments.[14][15][16] However, Chen's friends claimed that he owed between NT$1 million and NT$2 million to illegal moneylenders. [zh][13] Chen's former girlfriend stated that he had financial management problems, including loans used to purchase a heavy motorcycle [zh] and excessive spending on mobile game microtransactions.[17][18]

Incident Response

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At 06:50 on 9 March, Staff Sergeant Hsieh, the duty officer, discovered that Chen Chia-hsun was absent from the dining hall and immediately reported the matter to the company commander. At 07:20, the entire unit was organized to search for Chen but failed to locate him. At 08:00, the unit assembled again for a headcount, but Chen was still missing. The incident was then reported through the chain of command, and his family was notified. Chen's father arrived on Erdan Island at 16:20 on the same day. The garrison battalion issued a notice of Chen's unauthorized departure on 10 March, and the Republic of China Military Police initiated an investigation on 11 March in accordance with legal procedures.[14]

The Kinmen Defense Command conducted inspections of weapons, ammunition, life jackets, communications equipment, and information systems, and found no shortages.[14]

On the morning of 9 March, the Twelfth (Kinmen) Patrol Area of the Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu Branch [zh] of the Coast Guard Administration received a notification from the Kinmen Defense Command and dispatched patrol vessels to waters near Erdan Island. Search operations were carried out according to search-and-rescue planning systems, while nearby uninhabited islands and shallow reef areas were also searched. The Ninth Shore Patrol Brigade strengthened searches along coastlines under its jurisdiction. Through cross-strait law enforcement and search-and-rescue channels, the Coast Guard Administration requested assistance from mainland authorities and asked the Fisheries Radio Station [zh] to broadcast requests for assistance to vessels operating nearby. As of 08:00 on 13 March, a total of 28 vessel deployments, 149 vehicle deployments, and 434 personnel had participated in search-and-rescue operations.[19]

The Mainland Affairs Council learned on 10 March that Chen was in mainland China. On 12 March, it requested that the Straits Exchange Foundation confirm media reports that Chen had been rescued by the China Coast Guard and sought assistance in ensuring his safe return to Taiwan.[20] On 13 March, the Mainland Affairs Council confirmed that Chen was in mainland China, and the Coast Guard Administration suspended its search-and-rescue operations.[19]

Intelligence Information

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At 07:30 on 9 March 2023, Chen Chia-hsun was last seen wearing a life jacket.[10] He subsequently left Erdan Island carrying only his mobile phone and wallet.[21] After drifting to the median line of the Taiwan Strait between Sandan Island and Xiamen,[22] he became exhausted and used his phone to call for help.[21][23] At around 09:30, he was rescued by a vessel dispatched by the China Coast Guard and taken to Xiamen,[4] where he was accommodated at a Coast Guard facility.[24]

Chen reportedly told mainland authorities that he did not wish to return to Taiwan.[25]After being questioned by the Xiamen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier inspection [zh], the Xiamen Public Security Bureau [zh], and the Xiamen State Security Bureau [zh], mainland authorities concluded that he had no political motives.[26] Due to the sensitivity of the case, it was reported to Beijing for further handling,[27] and mainland authorities later agreed to allow his family to visit him in Xiamen.[25]

Response

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Judicial Proceedings

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On 14 March, after Chen Chia-hsun had been absent from his unit for six days,[27] the Kinmen Defense Command transferred the case to the Kinmen Military Police [zh] for investigation in accordance with the "Procedures for Handling Wanted Cases Involving Active-Duty Military Personnel Who Desert and Death Investigation Cases".[28]

On the same day, the Kinmen Military Police transferred the results of their investigation to the Kinmen branch of the Fujian District Prosecutors Office.[27]

On 17 March, the Kinmen District Prosecutors Office formally issued a wanted notice for Chen on suspicion of violating Articles 39 and 40 of the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces for "intent to permanently evade military service" and "failing to return after six days of leave", with a statute of limitations of twenty years.[5] Prosecutors ruled out emotional issues, improper discipline, and suicide, and concluded that multiple pieces of evidence indicated that Chen's departure from his unit was related to financial problems.[29]

On 18 March, the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau searched Chen's residence. The bureau emphasized that the Kinmen Military Police were leading the investigation under the direction of prosecutors from the Kinmen District Prosecutors Office, while the Fujian Field Office assisted in searching his registered residence.[30]

On 21 March, the Kinmen District Prosecutors Office requested assistance from the Department of International and Cross-Strait Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Justice, asking mainland authorities to return Chen under the Agreement on Joint Crime-Fighting and Mutual Judicial Assistance Across the Taiwan Straits and the Operational Guidelines for the Arrest and Repatriation of Criminal Offenders or Criminal Suspects Across the Taiwan Straits.[31][32]

Military Response

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On 14 March, the Ministry of National Defense（Taiwan） announced plans to strengthen assessments of personnel stationed on offshore islands, with increased screening regarding finances, relationships, and physical and mental health. Personnel found to have unusual circumstances would be reassigned.[14][33]

On 15 March, Minister of National Defense （Taiwan）Chiu Kuo-cheng responded to concerns raised in the Legislative Yuan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee [zh]regarding possible leaks of military information from Erdan Island. He stated that there was no need to redeploy troops stationed there and remarked that "that era has already passed".[34]

On 27 March, Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Hung-hui Alex [zh] stated that the ministry had always disclosed information truthfully and that cognitive warfare efforts had not succeeded. He emphasized that unauthorized absence and desertion in the face of the enemy were absolutely unacceptable and noted that desertion during wartime could be punishable by death.[35]

Impact

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Retired Republic of China Army Major General Yu Beichen stated that the Ministry of National Defense should bear full responsibility. He noted that mess hall personnel often had a better understanding of the defense arrangements on Erdan Island than ordinary soldiers, since they needed to know how many troops were stationed at each position, who was on leave, and where adjustments had been made.[36] He added that leaving one's post during military service and heading east would be considered desertion, while heading west would be regarded as defection.[36]

Former Republic of China Air Force Deputy Commander Chang Yen-ting [zh] pointed out that the bright color of Chen's life jacket raised questions as to why sentries had failed to notice him entering the water and suggested that there were suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.[37]

Chen Kuo-ming, chief editor of Defence International Magazine [zh], stated that regardless of Chen's motives, the military careers of officers responsible for the Erdan Garrison, including squad leaders, platoon leaders, company commander (lieutenant colonel), and the commander of the Lieyu Garrison Battalion [zh], would likely be affected. He also suggested that the commander of the Kinmen Defense Command could face disciplinary action for management failures, which could be seen as a form of collective punishment.[38]

Former Democratic Progressive Party legislator Kuo Cheng-liang stated that the incident would cause the international community to question the military management and loyalty of the Republic of China Armed Forces, thereby damaging their image.[39]

Wu Tzu-chia [zh],chairman of the board of Formosa Publishing Co., Ltd [zh]， described the incident as an example of cognitive warfare, arguing that it had caused considerable disruption in Taiwan at minimal cost and questioning the effectiveness of anti-China policies.[40]

References

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  1. ↑ 三立新聞網 (2023-03-15). "金門上兵游到中國！二膽上兵吐「1句話」　鄉民暴動：是逃兵了吧" [Kinmen soldier swims to China! Soldier from Erdan Islet utters "one sentence"—netizens go wild: "He must be a deserter."]. www.setn.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  2. ↑ 林依榕整理 (2023-03-13). "金門二膽島上兵能順利遣返回台？中國反常「靜悄悄」...我軍2天後發布通緝令　敏感前線小島同袍完了" [Can the soldier from Kinmen's Erdan Island be successfully repatriated to Taiwan? China has remained unusually "quiet"... yet our military issued an arrest warrant two days later—spelling doom for his comrades on that sensitive frontline islet.]. www.businesstoday.com.tw (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  3. ↑ 三立新聞網 (2023-03-15). "金門二膽失聯陳姓上兵名字首度曝光！藏陸軍專案報告中" [Name of missing Kinmen Erdan soldier surnamed Chen revealed for the first time—found within the Army's special report.]. www.setn.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  4. 1 2 中時新聞網 (2023-03-14). "太巧合？二膽上兵游不到2小時就遭大陸海警救起 動機遭質疑" [Too coincidental? Soldier from Erdan Island rescued by mainland Coast Guard after swimming for less than two hours; motives questioned.]. 中時新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  5. 1 2 "「明確逃兵事實」二膽兵背債逃大陸 通緝令時效20年" [「明確逃兵事實」二膽兵背債逃大陸 通緝令時效20年]. 聯合新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  6. ↑ 臺灣歷史地圖 增訂版 [Historical Maps of Taiwan: Expanded Edition]. ISBN 978-986-05-5274-4.
  7. ↑ 卷70.  清史稿. 维基文库 （中文）. 悬屿有大担门、小担门
  8. ↑ 中正區公所 (2020-08-08). "轄區簡介". www.klzz.klcg.gov.tw (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22. 本區共轄26個里，517鄰，20個社區，總人口數約為5萬人(資料來源基隆市中正區戶政事務所)，總面積10.2118平方公里。 [The district comprises 26 li (neighborhoods), 517 lin (sub-neighborhoods), and 20 communities, with a total population of approximately 50,000, according to the Keelung City Zhongzheng District Household Registration Office, and covers an area of 10.2118 square kilometers.]
  9. ↑ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan) (1958-09-01). "Quemoy? Poker Chip Or Golden Gate? - Taiwan Today". Taiwan Today. Archived from the original on 2020-09-14. Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  10. 1 2 3 "金門二膽島上兵疑躲債務竟「游往中國」 外界憂同袍、連長下場不妙...刑責輕重關鍵全在軍方「一句話」" [A soldier stationed on Kinmen’s Erdan Island allegedly "swam to China" to evade debt; concerns mount over the fate of his fellow soldiers and company commander—with the severity of potential criminal liability hinging entirely on a "single statement" from the military.]. Yahoo News (in Chinese). 2023-03-11. Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  11. ↑ 中時新聞網 (2023-03-11). "二膽上兵這樣漂去的？邱國正也傻眼 他爆軍營「鐵腕手段」吐1句" [Is this how the Erdan Island private drifted away? Even Chiu Kuo-cheng was dumbfounded; he revealed the military's "iron-fist" approach and made a blunt remark.]. 中時新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  12. ↑ 劉榮. "【二膽兵脫逃內幕】陳姓伙房兵逃兵滿7天　國防部未發布通緝原因曝光" [[Inside Story of the Erdan Soldier's Desertion] Reasons Revealed: Why the Ministry of National Defense Has Not Issued a Wanted Notice After the Mess Hall Soldier (Surname Chen) Was Absent Without Leave for Over Seven Days]. 鏡週刊 Mirror Media (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  13. 1 2 劉榮. "【二膽兵脫逃內幕】失聯上兵不想返台　友人爆：錢莊催債打爆手機" [[Inside Story of the Erdan Soldier's Defection] Missing Private Did Not Want to Return to Taiwan; Friend Reveals: Loan Sharks Bombarded His Phone Demanding Repayment]. 鏡週刊 Mirror Media (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "陸軍金門防衛指揮部上等兵失聯事件專案報告" [Special Report on the Incident Involving a Missing Private First Class from the Kinmen Defense Command of the Republic of China Army] (PDF).
  15. ↑ "臺灣臺北地方法院民事裁定" [Civil Ruling of the Taiwan Taipei District Court]. judgment.judicial.gov.tw. Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  16. ↑ 方柳絮 (2023-03-15). "游到中國的金門上兵「欠4家銀行」這些錢！　名嘴曝協商結果直呼有貓膩" [Soldier who swam to Kinmen "owed money to four banks"—commentator reveals negotiation outcome and smells something fishy.]. 壹蘋新聞網 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  17. ↑ 中央通訊社 (2023-03-21). "金門二膽上兵陳嘉壎失聯案 金檢致函法務部向中國提遣返協助" [Case of Missing Kinmen Soldier Chen Chia-hsun: Kinmen Prosecutors Request Ministry of Justice to Seek Mainland China's Assistance for Repatriation]. 中央社 CNA (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  18. ↑ 劉榮. "【二膽兵脫逃內幕】薪水逾半花在手遊　陳姓上兵前女友爆：朋友早被借到怕" [【Inside Story of the Erdan Soldier's Desertion】Spent Over Half His Salary on Mobile Games; Ex-Girlfriend of Private First Class Chen Reveals: Friends Had Long Since Grown Wary of His Constant Borrowing]. 鏡週刊 Mirror Media (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  19. 1 2 "「陸軍金門防衛指揮部上等兵失聯事件海巡署應處作為」專題報告" [Special Report on the Coast Guard Administration's Response to the Incident Involving a Missing Private First Class from the Kinmen Defense Command] (PDF).
  20. ↑ "「陸軍金門防衛指揮部上等兵失聯事件」書面報告" [Written Report on the Incident Involving a Missing Private First Class from the Kinmen Defense Command] (PDF).
  21. 1 2 中時新聞網 (2023-03-14). "獨家》二膽上兵獲救內幕曝光！游到體力不支急call陸海警求援" [Exclusive: Inside story of the Erdan Island soldier's rescue revealed! He swam until exhausted, then made an urgent call to the mainland coast guard for help.]. 中時新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  22. ↑ 蘇柏銓 (2023-03-11). "金門失蹤上兵漂到中國獲救！何時返台？　陳玉珍揭有這問題" [Missing Kinmen soldier drifts to China and is rescued! When will he return to Taiwan? Chen Yu-jen reveals a complication.]. 壹蘋新聞網 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  23. ↑ 蘇柏銓 (2023-03-11). "金門失蹤上兵漂到中國獲救！何時返台？　陳玉珍揭有這問題" [Missing Kinmen soldier drifts to China and is rescued! When will he return to Taiwan? Chen Yu-jen reveals a complication.]. 壹蘋新聞網 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-23.
  24. ↑ 聯合新聞網. "傳明發布通緝！二膽失聯兵現況曝 陳玉珍坦言：陸方覺得棘手" [Wanted notice issued! Current status of missing Erdan Island soldier revealed; Chen Yu-jen admits: Mainland side finds the situation tricky.]. 聯合新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 2023-03-18. Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  25. 1 2 "大陸同意家屬探視　陳玉珍曝二膽上兵「不想回台」" [Mainland agrees to family visit; Chen Yu-chen reveals Erdan Island soldier "does not want to return to Taiwan."]. Yahoo News (in Chinese). 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  26. ↑ 中時新聞網 (2023-03-18). "二膽上兵回台有譜？知情人士爆：陸已調查出「這真相」" [Is the return of the Erdan Island soldier to Taiwan in sight? Insiders reveal: The mainland has uncovered "this truth."]. 中時新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  27. 1 2 3 中時新聞網 (2023-03-15). "金門二膽兵要通緝了 父嘆「對不起軍中弟兄」：回來就打斷他的腿" [Soldier from Kinmen's Erdan Island to be declared wanted; father laments, "I owe an apology to his fellow soldiers—I'll break his legs when he gets back."]. 中時新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  28. ↑ "金門兵離營赴中 恐面對短期缺職或長期逃亡罪刑責" [Kinmen soldier leaves post for mainland China; faces potential penalties ranging from short-term unauthorized absence to long-term desertion charges.]. 中央社 CNA (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2023-05-08. Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  29. ↑ 中央通訊社 (2023-03-17). "金門二膽上兵陳嘉壎失聯 金檢發布通緝將向中國提遣返要求" [Kinmen-based Private Chen Chia-hsun goes missing from Erdan Islet; Kinmen prosecutors issue arrest warrant and plan to request repatriation from China.]. 中央社 CNA (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  30. ↑ TVBS. "調查局搜索金兵戶籍地　陳父低調：尊重國家" [Investigation Bureau searches Jin Bing's registered residence; father keeps a low profile, stating respect for the state.]. TVBS (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  31. ↑ 中央通訊社 (2023-03-21). "金門二膽上兵陳嘉壎失聯案 金檢致函法務部向中國提遣返協助" [Case of Missing Kinmen Soldier Chen Chia-hsun: Kinmen Prosecutors Request Ministry of Justice to Seek Mainland China's Assistance for Repatriation]. 中央社 CNA (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  32. ↑ 中央通訊社 (2023-04-07). "金門二膽上兵失聯案 法務部已向中國提遣返協助" [Regarding the case of the missing soldier from Kinmen's Erdan Islet, the Ministry of Justice has requested assistance from China for his repatriation.]. 中央社 CNA (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  33. ↑ 中央通訊社 (2023-03-14). "二膽上兵失聯案 國防部：財務身心違常者調離離島" [Case of Missing Erdan Island Soldier: Ministry of National Defense to Transfer Personnel with Financial or Mental Health Issues Away from Outlying Islands]. 中央社 CNA (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  34. ↑ 柏仲, 張 (2023-03-15). "上兵失蹤二膽部隊是否該換防？　邱國正嘆：那個時代已經過去" [Should the Erdan Garrison Rotate Troops After Private First Class Goes Missing? Chiu Kuo-cheng Sighs: "That Era Has Passed"]. 中廣新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  35. ↑ TVBS. "金門二膽上兵躲陸　國防部定調「逃兵」：戰時敵前逃亡是死刑" [Kinmen Erdan Soldier Flees to Mainland; Ministry of National Defense Classifies Him a "Deserter": Desertion in the Face of the Enemy During Wartime Carries the Death Penalty.]. TVBS (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  36. 1 2 中時新聞網 (2023-03-14). "管伙房沒啥大不了？ 退役少將驚爆：二膽上兵掌握「1機密」" [Is managing the mess hall no big deal? Retired Major General drops bombshell: Private First Class on Erdan Island held a "secret."]. 中時新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  37. ↑ 三立新聞網 (2023-03-18). "二膽兵逃亡中國有貓膩？前空軍副司令驚覺「1疑點」：一看就會發現" [Something fishy about the Erdan soldier's defection to China? Former Air Force Deputy Commander spots a "suspicious point": it's obvious at a glance.]. www.setn.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  38. ↑ TVBS. "二膽兵事件影響！國軍人士地震？　連坐法恐衝擊數軍官仕途" [Aftermath of the Erdan Island Soldier Incident: A Shake-up Among Military Personnel? Collective Responsibility Could Impact the Careers of Several Officers.]. TVBS (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  39. ↑ 中時新聞網 (2023-03-15). "二膽逃兵成國際笑話？郭正亮驚爆：這2點對國軍很傷" [Did the Erdan deserter become an international laughingstock? Kuo Cheng-liang drops a bombshell: These two points are highly damaging to the ROC military.]. 中時新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  40. ↑ 中時新聞網 (2023-03-17). "二膽逃兵讓蔡政府束手無策？吳子嘉爆：北京要記功了" [Has the Erdan deserter left the Tsai administration at a loss? Wu Tzu-chia reveals: Beijing is set to award him credit.]. 中時新聞網 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2026-06-22.
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